"I was wondering if you would mind a visitor,” asked Ellis, sheepishly.
"When?” asked Arepno. Despite his time with humans, the Rd'dyggian was still the complete pragmatist.
"Actually,” said Ellis, wringing his hands. “I'm in a shuttle, near your compound."
"Ah, I see,” mused Arepno. “You are the one who landed. I will meet you in a few minutes, outside. Welcome to Rd'dyggia.” With that, Arepno's image vanished from the teleholo.
Ellis retrieved his bag and coat, then stuck his head through the door to the cockpit. “My friend will be out to meet me, thanks!"
"You paid in advance,” said Cordova, slight dimples forming around her smile. “That's all the thanks I need.” She looked out at the planet. “I'll wait long enough to make sure you haven't changed your mind about having a breathing mask."
"The air's breathable enough,” grumbled Ellis. “Thanks, again.” With that, Ellis donned his greatcoat and pushed the button next to the shuttle's door. He was immediately assaulted by the smell of rotten eggs. Ellis closed his eyes against their watering for a moment, trying not to gag and glad he had only eaten a meager meal before coming down to the planet's surface.
"Hey, you're letting the air in,” called Cordova.
Ellis waved his apology and stepped out of the craft onto deceptively soft and powdery soil. As he stepped onto the soil, a layer of dust swirled up. The smell was heavy in ammonia. It was like being hit in the face by cat urine. Ellis held his breath as long as he could, then cautiously inhaled some air, but almost threw up.
With a grimace, he looked up to see Arepno, adorned in golden robes tied with a red sash. “Let me help you, my friend,” he said, with the assistance of a translator box.
"I think I'll be okay,” gasped Ellis. Suddenly a chill passed through his bones. The air was only about 10 degrees Celsius. He pulled the coat closed around him.
Arepno came to Ellis’ side and put out a helping hand. Ellis took it. As they passed by the front window of the shuttle, Ellis forced a calm smile and waved to Cordova. Soon, the shuttle ascended into the sky, kicking up a spray of the cat urine-smelling sand. Ellis looked toward the shuttle lifting up into the orange sky, thinking he had been deposited right in the middle of hell itself. “Great planet,” he commented to Arepno.
"Now you know how I felt, being on Sufiro,” said Arepno.
"People keep saying that to me.” Ellis shook his head slightly.
"Let's go inside,” said Arepno with a tilted head. “We can get you warm and you can tell me what brings you to my humble world."
WARRIOR PHILOSOPHER
Arepno's house was a squat, circular structure. The building had a reddish hue like the surrounding dirt. At first, Ellis thought it was small, but that was only a matter of perspective in this alien landscape. It took much longer to walk from the landing site to the house than Ellis had expected. Among other things, his estimate had been based on the sizes of the trees that came almost to the roof of the house. As it turned out, those squat-looking trees were nearly ten meters tall.
After his initial difficulties breathing Rd'dyggian air, Ellis found his respiration returning to normal. At least the smells of sulfur and ammonia no longer made him gag. Actually, the air itself was quite breathable. It was almost the same ratio of nitrogen to oxygen as was on Earth and the atmospheric pressure was just slightly higher than that of Earth. The water vapor content seemed high to Ellis, even though he had grown up on an island in the North Atlantic.
Being able to breathe more normally, Ellis found he could walk without Arepno's help. Looking at the warrior, he realized that his bright orange skin did not seem quite as overwhelming in the light of his own planet. His skin looked more a ruddy tan here. In fact, his purple mustache looked nearly black. In this light, Ellis thought Arepno looked almost handsome.
Wordlessly, the seven-foot tall warrior invited Ellis into his house. Inside sat three other Rd'dyggians. It was impossible for Ellis to distinguish male from female. All three had the prehensile purple mustaches. One was slightly taller than Arepno. Two were slightly shorter. They were lounging on the floor. One of the shorter ones appeared to be scanning a ledger of some form and wore a loose fitting copper-colored gown that draped around the entire body. The taller one was writing and wearing more of a long tunic adorned with some floral pattern Ellis did not recognize. The other of the shorter ones was working on some cloth with what appeared to be a staple gun. This Rd'dyggian wore a silver jerkin and pants cut to resemble the shape of Arepno's robes.
The room itself seemed Spartan. Unlike a human living room, nothing adorned the walls. Other than the objects used by the people, the room was empty. The walls seemed made of the same dirt as the ground outside, though the air seemed devoid of the ammonia smell.
"Allow me to introduce my two wives, Arepnon and R'landan, and my co-husband, R'landa,” said Arepno, first in Rd'dyggian so his family could hear, then with the translator so Ellis could understand.
"Pleased to meet you,” said Ellis nervously. He cursed inwardly that he had not brought any kind of translation device along. It seemed rude to make his host restate everything he said.
Arepno introduced Ellis as another hero of Sufiro. Arepno's family nodded courteously. The warrior then turned to Ellis. “Let us retire to my chambers where we may talk freely."
Arepno led him through the large common room to a room at the side. Like the common room, the side room had no corners; it was completely round. There were no chairs. However, there was a table of sorts in the center of the room. On it was a plate that Ellis recognized as a Rd'dyggian computer. Next to it were several of the ledgers like the type one of the shorter people was reading in the common room.
Before Arepno said anything, the taller Rd'dyggian appeared in the doorway with two glasses of water. Ellis noticed that this Rd'dyggian's tunic was not actually floral, but a mishmash of colors that resembled the flowers of Earth. The Rd'dyggian handed one glass to Arepno and the other to Ellis, then nodded to Arepno. “Thank you, R'landa.” Arepno nodded. Again, he spoke in Rd'dyggian, but used the translator to speak for Ellis’ benefit.
As R'landa left, Ellis turned to his host. “I am terribly sorry I forgot to wear a translator."
"Apology accepted,” vocalized Arepno with a lift of his hand. “You seemed in a great hurry to be here. You did not contact me before coming to my world."
Ellis nodded. “The problem is ... that ever since Sufiro, I can't get the vision of the Cluster out of my mind."
"I have heard,” said Arepno, slowly, almost measured, “that you encountered another Cluster on your way home to Earth. They say a ship was destroyed."
"I was charged with cowardice,” confessed Ellis, bluntly. He took a deep breath, then picked up the glass of water, sniffed its vaguely rotten-egg smell and put the glass back on the table. “The fact of the matter is that the Cluster communicated with me through a vision of some sort. The power of the vision caused me to pass out.” Ellis, his throat almost too dry to speak, grabbed the glass, held his breath and swallowed the water. “Unfortunately, I passed out right as we almost had the civilian ship under our protection."
"So, why come to Rd'dyggia?” Arepno folded his arms.
"An old friend, on Earth, recommended that I seek out one who knew communications, understood the hunt and its consequences. He recommended I talk to a philosopher named G'Liat."
Arepno's dark mustache wiggled momentarily, though he made no sound. Finally, he sat forward. “There are no philosophers on Rd'dyggia,” intoned Arepno, at last.
"I know that,” growled Ellis. He shook his head, then silently gathered his thoughts. More composed, he continued, “but, I have to know whether or not I committed an act of cowardice and fainted on the bridge of my ship during a crisis situation, or whether I really and truly communicated with the Cluster in some way that is not understood."
Arepno sat silent, his mustache wiggling. Ellis got the impression that the warrior wa
s holding something back.
"Damn it, Arepno! I was booted out of the fleet! I've been dishonored.” Ellis put his face in his hands. “I don't even know if it was my fault. If so, I'll have to learn to live with what I did. If not, though, I'll have to seek justice."
"Why should I help a coward?” asked Arepno. He picked up the glass and let his mustache-like protrusions slide into the water.
"Because, I might not be a coward. My honor is at stake. The honor of my family,” pleaded Ellis.
Arepno looked over the glass at Ellis. “Honor can be a dangerous concept. Humans do not have a sense of family honor. Not like Rd'dyggians."
"I do,” said Ellis firmly. “The Cluster took the life of my father. Despite that, I risked my career on an attempt to talk to the Cluster rather than destroy it. That attempt might have succeeded. I don't know. Is there a G'Liat? Could he help me?"
Arepno lowered the glass and made a noise, not unlike a human sigh. “There is a G'Liat,” he said at last. “He is not a philosopher, but a warrior. He is a giant among Rd'dyggians—perhaps the greatest warrior of all. Some say he is a sorcerer. He was my teacher for a short time.” Arepno turned down the speaker volume on the translator box. “He knows the hunt. He knows death. Most of all, he understands the abstract world of the mind. Not just Rd'dyggian minds, but the minds of off-worlders. He taught me of humans and Tzrn, but he understands them all. If he learns of a species, he goes to meet it, to understand it."
Ellis licked his lips. “Has he met the Cluster?"
Arepno shook his head, in an imitation of the human gesture. “He has tried and failed."
"Perhaps I can give him some insight,” pondered Ellis.
"So like your grandfather.” Arepno sat back. “Such arrogance you humans display. Although you might give him some insight, I suspect it will be you who gains insight, if you are not a coward.” Arepno's mustache formed a shape, not unlike a smile. “I will take you to him this afternoon, but first, dine with me and my family, grandson of Firebrandt."
Ellis nodded, recognizing that Arepno had paid him a great compliment in referring to him by the name of a respected friend. “Thank you, I will.” As they stood to join the others, Ellis asked, “So, what's this about you being retired?"
"I have been retired many seasons,” said Arepno.
"What about your ship? What about Sufiro?"
"Whoever said I had acted in a, how do you humans say, official capacity?” Ellis thought he detected a hint of laughter from the translator's speaker.
* * * *
Later that afternoon, Mark Ellis groaned as Arepno's hover bounced in air turbulence. The hover, unlike human built vehicles, was more an aircraft, traveling high in the Rd'dyggian atmosphere. The dinner so graciously prepared by Arepno's wives, combined with the meal from the space station caused his stomach to do flip-flops. Although the vegetables, meats, and teas were perfectly edible by human standards, Rd'dyggians’ digestive systems were far more efficient than his.
The punch line of an old human joke said, Rd'dyggians don't have a brain in their head. That was literally true. Rd'dyggians had evolved such that their brains were in their upper chest cavity behind a nearly impervious wall of bone. Their stomachs were in their heads, with an organ that did much the same thing as intestines located just below the shoulders. Ellis’ stomach did another turn as he remembered the sight of the first headless Rd'dyggian he had ever seen on Titan. The being was a communicator; no sight or hearing was necessary. He only needed to use his brain to speak to ships coming and leaving. A bag hanging limply from his shoulders had replaced his stomach.
"How much farther is G'Liat's compound,” groaned Ellis.
"Not much,” said Arepno. “Only a few hundred more kilometers."
Ellis put his head back against the hard, high-backed seat of the hover and sighed. He ran his hand over the cool, unyielding leather-like material of the armrest at his side, then looked out at the lush alien landscape. The purple vegetation and red sand made him long for his gray island home. The sparse housing suddenly made him long for the closeness of humans.
Ellis looked back toward Arepno, whose hands rested firmly on a square silver plate embedded in the console. His face showed concentration as he steered the craft—his brain tied directly into the computer. Ellis had spent most of the journey, so far, in silence, afraid to distract Arepno. He pursed his lips though, thinking it might be more than that. Their conversations so far had been stilted, and uncomfortable.
"So,” began Ellis, cautiously, “I didn't know Rd'dyggian women took the names of their spouses."
Arepno inclined his head.
"I'm sorry, am I distracting you?” Ellis’ voice held a nervous twinge.
"No distraction,” came the voice from the translator box. “Not with this simple craft.” Arepno faced Ellis. “I simply do not understand the inference."
"Your wives were named Arepnon and R'landan.” Ellis’ brow creased. “Didn't your wives take the names of you and R'landa?"
"Ah,” said Arepno, looking back out the window. “The problem is a difference of perspective. If I understand, on Earth your wife would be Mrs. John, am I right?"
"Close,” conceded Ellis. “She would be Mrs. Ellis—in my culture, at least. Though most humans don't change names to match their mates anymore. Actually,” he mused, “most humans don't even know their mates anymore. The actual physical act is considered something of a taboo for many."
Arepno imitated a human nod. “Yes, the human capacity to reject love has been well documented since the whale epics of your nineteenth century.” His mustache wiggled, then he continued. “In my culture on Rd'dyggia, husbands assume the names of their first wives. It is a sign of deference that I have taken a shorter version of Arepnon's name."
Ellis wrung his hands, somewhat annoyed at himself that he had made an assumption based on what, even many humans, considered an outmoded system of mating. “I guess I'm just an old-fashioned guy.” Ellis ran his hands through auburn hair. “What was your name before you were married?"
"That is irrelevant,” stated Arepno blandly. Ellis imagined the warrior was irritated, though the translator betrayed no such emotion. “That name has evaporated into the past. It is forgotten.” The Rd'dyggian's face seemed to go blank for several minutes. “We are nearly at G'Liat's. Prepare for descent."
Almost instantly, Arepno put the craft into a dive. Ellis closed his eyes tightly as he felt the bile build in his throat. He gripped the armrest of the seat and willed himself not to vomit in Arepno's craft.
Abruptly, the tiny craft bumped hard against unyielding ground. Once it came to a stop. Ellis leaned into the glass of the craft's bubble top. “We have arrived,” announced Arepno.
"We certainly have,” grumbled Ellis. “Should we call the compound and announce our arrival?” He scanned the almost completely bare console of Arepno's craft, not even knowing if there was communication's equipment, much less how to operate it.
"I already have,” said Arepno, matter-of-factly as ever. “G'Liat is expecting you.” With that, the bubble top of the aircraft opened, causing Ellis to nearly tumble out onto the ground.
Remembering that he did not have any translation equipment, Ellis sat up and looked at Arepno. “Could I impose upon you, and ask a favor?"
"You may ask.” Arepno's unblinking black eye stared forward.
"Could I borrow your translation gear? After all, I am going to meet with a great warrior."
"No imposition,” stated Arepno. “No need. G'Liat speaks the language you call Generic.” Ellis’ eyebrows came together. He was not aware that Rd'dyggian vocal chords were structured in a way that would allow them to speak terro-generic.
After only a moment's hesitation, Ellis climbed out of the cockpit and straightened his coat. “Thank you, for all your help and hospitality,” he said, leaning over the edge of the hover.
"I will have your payment, when the Cluster has ended its killing,” said Arepno. Ellis had t
o move his hands out of the way quickly before the bubble top came down. He was pushed rudely aside as Arepno activated the anti-graviton generator. Within seconds, the aircraft was gone from sight and Ellis found himself standing alone in a clearing of magenta grass.
Looking around, Ellis’ queasy stomach sunk as he realized he did not know which direction the compound was in. Trees and tall bushes surrounded the clearing. Overhead, dark gray-green clouds were billowing. Ellis brought the collar of his jacket up and studied the surrounding area.
Most of the vegetation seemed too dense to even move through. However, turning around, Ellis saw a pair of trees, close together. Walking toward them, he saw a round structure behind, not unlike Arepno's house. Ellis shimmied between the trees and found himself standing in a larger clearing, facing the structure. As he made his way toward the house, he heard a shuffling behind him. Turning, he found himself face to chest with a being who towered over eight feet tall. Arepno had always seemed massive, but the warrior now seemed willowy compared with the being standing before him. Looking up, Ellis saw himself mirrored in the great black, unblinking eyes of the alien.
"Who are you?” asked the being in a surprisingly affable, but crisp voice. There was no hint of the Rd'dyggian raspy, singsong style of speaking.
"I am John Mark Ellis.” Ellis wrung his hands and blew into them, trying to warm himself. “Are you G'Liat?"
"I am called G'Liat,” said the Rd'dyggian, moving around Ellis, looking down at him. “Though, you are not simply John Mark Ellis."
Ellis looked down at himself, then looked back up, his brow wrinkled. “I don't understand."
"No, you don't,” agreed G'Liat. The being wore a one-piece black suit, tailored to fit his body. On his feet were glossy black boots. Around his neck was a silver choker. The attire looked odd given Rd'dyggians love of wearing loose-fitting clothing. The being motioned for Ellis to follow with a large, six-fingered hand, adorned in brightly colored rings.
They walked to G'Liat's compound. The room was a study in contrasts. As opposed to Arepno's house, the main room was extremely full. Ellis saw evidence of travels to nearly every inhabited planet he knew and some he did not. Unlike old man Coffin's house back on Nantucket this room was not cluttered. Instead, it seemed extremely well organized almost like the storeroom of a museum or library. Titan data cubes were in one section. In another section, he saw books stacked neatly. Oddly, above the books he saw painted on the wall the human symbol for yin yang. Next to that hung a crucifix. What really caught Ellis’ attention though was a nearly white piece of bone with a black etching of a tall ship.
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